AllFreeNovel
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15 YEARS OLD…
“They sound so much better live!” I shout over the music.
Lights are flashing above us as the band plays on stage, the lead singer screaming lyrics into the microphone and the crowd chanting with him.
Blaise is standing beside me, dressed in black jeans, a matching shirt, and boots, his facial piercing glinting in the lighting. He looks like a gothic mafia prince, which he kind of is, I guess. Honestly, I don’t really see him that way. Blaise is too nice and sweet and, at times, too anxious to be a mobster, even if he is the heir to his family name.
“Agreed!” he shouts back, his gaze trained on the stage.
Blaise loves music, and he can play the guitar, piano, and sing. He even writes his own lyrics, although he refuses to let me read them, despite the fact that I’ve begged like a thousand times. It’s probably the only time he’s denied me anything, but I get that it’s a private thing. One day, I hope he trusts me enough to let me.
His arms are crossed as he studies the stage, and I know him well enough that I can tell he’s slightly anxious about being in the crowd. He gets that way sometimes when too many people are crammed around him. Usually, he leaves whenever this happens, but he’s pretty set on being here for the entire concert.
Standing on my tiptoes, I lean in and whisper in his ear, “Are you doing okay?”
He jolts then places a hand on my waist when I start to move away. “Yeah, I’m okay. There’s just a lot of people, and it’s making me feel a little uneasy.” He looks at me then and forces a smile. “I’ll be okay, though.”
“Are you sure?”
He nods and faces me, placing his other hand on my waist. It wouldn’t be so weird—he does stuff like this all the time—but the velvet top I’m wearing barely reaches the middle of my stomach, so his fingers touch my flesh.
“I’m fine, Al,” he stresses, brushing a finger along my side. “I wouldn’t have come with you if I didn’t think I could handle it.”
Smiling back, I loop my arms around his neck. “I’ll be your shield from all these people, okay?”
“What’re you going to do?” he teases. “Hold onto me like a monkey for the rest of the night?”
“Maybe I will,” I tease back. “I’ll even latch my legs around your waist. But since I’m wearing a skirt, I’d end up flashing everyone.”
For some, his fingers on my waist stiffen.
“Yeah, definitely don’t do that,” he tells me then quickly adds, “Not that you don’t look hot … because you do, but I … You shouldn’t want anyone seeing your …” He shakes his head as he starts acting like a spazz.
He’s been doing that around me a lot lately. I’m not positive why, but right now, it’s making him look grumpy. And that’s not the Blaise I know. No, that’s the Ryder I know. Not Blaise.
“Hey, no being grumpy,” I playfully warn, stepping back and grabbing his hands. “Dance with me. It’ll distract you.”
He swiftly shakes his head. “Dancing is Reece’s thing, not mine.”
“Dancing should be everyone’s thing.” Then I start moving around, jumping and swinging my head around to the beat of the song.
He stands there, staring at me with apprehension.
“Come on, Blaise.” I jut out my lip, because I know he’s a sucker for it. “Please dance with me.”
He shakes his head. “Fine.”
I secretly smile because, like usual, he gives me my way. He’s the only person in my life who does this. Sure, Reece does a lot, but he has his limits. And Ryder sometimes does, but he’s way too bossy to cave at a little lip pout.
We spend the next hour rocking out to the music, and by the time we leave, we’re both smiling and laughing, wonderfully exhausted.
“That was fun, right?” I ask as we step outside into the cool night area where Blaise’s driver is parked.
Blaise has a band shirt he purchased clutched in his hand and a genuine smile on his pretty face. “It was the perfect night.” He smooths strands of his hair from out of my eyes, causing my heart to weirdly thunder in my chest and a little breath to rush past my lips.
We’re standing so close. When did we get so close?
I swear he starts to lean in. To kiss me?
